Painters are often required to mix paints in order to get just the right shade to match the original finish.
The painter must sand the area to remove any old paint, primer, or rust, and repair small areas with solder or plastic body filler. The sanding is done with power tools and by hand. Anything that is not to be painted is masked off with paper and tape.
Once the preparation is done, the painter uses a spray gun to apply several coats of primer to the bare metal. He or she then lightly sands the primed surface, applies several coats of final color, and blends it in with the vehicle's original paint.
The car is dried in a special room where heat lamps speed up the process. (On some vehicles this cannot be done, because the heat can damage some of the on-board computers.)
WORKING CONDITIONS
Often a special room is provided with ventilated booths to protect the workers, but if it is not, the painters must wear respirators to protect nose and mouth.
Skills you need to be a refinish technician include the ability to:
- featheredge
- mask for urethane, prime, and prep
- prepare and trim parts
- apply guide coat and block sand
- mask for spot repair
- mask for overall color
- select and apply primer/sealer
- wet sand for overall color
- pressure wash and prep
- apply corrosion protection
Of the twelve thousand persons working as automobile painters in the 1990s two thirds of them worked in shops that specialized in auto repairs. The remainder mostly worked for auto or truck dealerships and for fleets that maintain and repair their own vehicles. Although painters work throughout the country, they are mostly concentrated in metropolitan areas.
TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS
Training for the automobile painter is usually not formal. Instead it takes the form of learning as a helper to an experienced painter. It usually takes about three or four years to become skilled.
A small number learn through apprenticeship programs. The term of apprenticeship is usually three years, and the student learns on the job and supplements this with classroom work.
Good health, keen eyesight, and a good sense of color are needed. A high school diploma is helpful.
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of automobile painters is growing a little more slowly than average, and the outlook through 2008 is best for skilled automotive refinishers and transportation equipment painters. Salaries are sometimes supplemented with commission income. Wages average between $10.86 and $18.95 an hour for most workers. The highest wages are about $23.00 an hour.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
Since vehicles that require painting are often damaged due to collision, painters may be required to know how to repair sheet metal. They may personally, or in close cooperation with mechanics, repair some other vehicle components or systems. This is especially true in smaller repair shops that do not employ fulltime mechanics.
